1. Field of the Invention
The field of the invention relates to property monitoring systems generally, and more particularly to certain new and useful advances in controlling visual information therefrom, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the drawings accompanying and forming a part of the same.
2. Description of Related Art
Property monitoring systems, such as fire detection systems, life safety systems, intrusion detection systems, and the like, are critical components of many properties. Such monitoring systems, particularly those having a significant number of remote units, generally have a central control panel that is coupled with the remote units. The central control panel also has multiple indicators, each of which corresponds to a component of the monitoring system. In operation, each indicator provides visual and/or audible information about the system's status and/or about a location of an alarm event detected by one or more of the remote units. Examples of remote units include detectors, annunciators, and combinations thereof.
The diagram of FIG. 1 provides one example of how a control panel 10 is typically configured for use in a fire detection system. Each control panel indicator 18, 20, 22, and 24 has one or more LEDs 28 and one or more micro-controllers/integrated circuit (“IC”) drivers 26. Each micro-controller/IC driver 26 controls the color and operation of its corresponding LED(s) 28 in response to commands received from a master controller 12.
Disadvantageously, the system 10 uses a relatively large number of lines 16, 30, 32, and 34 to connect the indicators 18, 20, 22, and 24 with a master controller 12, which includes a microprocessor 14. For example, a serial data line 16 connects the master controller 12 in series with each of the indicators 18, 20, 22, and 24. Additionally, each of an enable signal line 30, a clock signal line 32, and a synchronize signal line 34 couples the master controller 12 in parallel with each indicator 18, 20, 22, and 24.
Various methods are used to activate and/or operate the indicators 18, 20, 22, and 24. Such methods work for property monitoring systems that have a relatively small numbers of indicators, but, due to the extensive wiring requirements discussed above, are costly to implement when the number of indicators is significant. For example, in one method, the master controller sends out a synchronization message to all the indicators over the synchronize signal line 34. This synchronization message merely keeps the flashing of the LEDs in cadence with the master controller 12, and is sent out frequently to prevent drift in the cadence. In another method, in which each indicator 18, 20, 22, and 24 is equipped with a timer (not shown), the master controller 12 synchronizes the respective timers with a synchronization poll which is sent periodically when the indicators are operational causing the timers to reset to a nearest time interval.
Accordingly, a monitoring system and method of operating are needed, which reduce the number of wires that couple a master controller with multiple indicators.